Roche is in discussions with HHS to launch a direct-to-patient drug distribution model.
CEO Thomas Schinecker said the move is being considered as a way to reduce prices for patients, pointing to the role of pharmacy benefit managers, saying they take “more than 50% of the profitability” from drug sales, according to a July 24 second-quarter earnings call from the drugmaker.
Roche executives suggested the new model could be especially suitable for high-cost therapies across the drugmaker’s pipeline, including treatments for multiple sclerosis, cancer and eye disease.
The drugmaker has proposed demonstration products to the U.S. government that would show how the direct-to-consumer model works, Mr. Schinecker said in an interview with Bloomberg. However, he declined to specify which drugs would be included in a demo, citing ongoing discussions.
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